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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Studying the Skills MismatchAt the end of May, there were more than 10,500 job openings posted on the Oregon Employment Department's job-listing service (iMatchSkills). At the same time, more than a quarter million people were actively using iMatchSkills to look for work. In other words, there were about 25 job seekers for every job opening.

Yet even with such a high ratio of job seekers to job openings there are positions that remain open for extended periods of time — or are not filled at all! How can all of these things co-exist? Part of the problem is a skills mismatch.

During the last four years, as the economy stumbled, plummeted, dusted itself off, and then slowly began to recover, job losses and job growth occurred in different industries. For instance, construction employment declined considerably (-37%), while healthcare employment experienced strong growth (9%). This mismatch between industries losing jobs and those gaining jobs means that some unemployed persons don't have the right education, experience, or skills needed to fill the jobs that are currently available.

A plethora of skills required by employersIn addition to the "right skills", employers aren't looking for just a couple of those skills; they need workers with a robust set of skills. Employers want to find people who possess all or nearly all of the skills needed for their job openings.

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